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Use of ajmaline in patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome to disclose short refractory period of the accessory pathway

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Professor Hein J.J. Wellens

Abstract

Ajmaline given intravenously produced complete anterograde block in the accessory pathway of 32 of 59 patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. An electrophysiologic investigation performed 1 day later revealed that failure of ajmaline to produce complete anterograde block in the accessory pathway corresponded to a short refractory period of this pathway (less than 270 ms). The use of ajmaline intravenously is advanced as a reliable and rapid procedure for identifying those patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome who have a short refractory period of the accessory pathway and are possibly at risk of circulatory insufficiency or sudden death if atrial fibrillation supervenes.

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J. L. R. M. Smeets P. A. Doevendans M. E. Josephson Ch. Kirchhof M. A. Vos

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© 2000 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Wellens, H.J.J., Bär, F.W., Gorgels, A.P., Vanagt, E.J. (2000). Use of ajmaline in patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome to disclose short refractory period of the accessory pathway. In: Smeets, J.L.R.M., Doevendans, P.A., Josephson, M.E., Kirchhof, C., Vos, M.A. (eds) Professor Hein J.J. Wellens. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4110-9_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4110-9_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5799-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-4110-9

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